taint
1[ teynt ]
/ teɪnt /
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noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to become tainted; spoil.
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Origin of taint
11325–75; conflation of Middle English taynt, aphetic variant of attaint struck, attainted, past participle of attainten to attaint; late Middle English taynt hue, tint <Anglo-French teint (<Latin tinctus, equivalent to ting(ere) to dye, tinge + -tus suffix of v. action); and teinte<Late Latin tincta inked stroke, noun use of feminine of past participle of tingere
OTHER WORDS FROM taint
un·taint·ed, adjectiveun·taint·ing, adjectiveWords nearby taint
Definition for taint (2 of 2)
taint2
or t'aint
noun Slang: Vulgar.
the area between the testicles or vulva and the anus; the perineum.
Origin of taint
2it ain’t (the one or the other), meaning it is the area in between
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for taint
British Dictionary definitions for taint
taint
/ (teɪnt) /
verb
to affect or be affected by pollution or contaminationoil has tainted the water
to tarnish (someone's reputation, etc)
noun
a defect or flawa taint on someone's reputation
a trace of contamination or infection
Derived forms of taint
taintless, adjectiveWord Origin for taint
C14: (influenced by attaint infected, from attain) from Old French teindre to dye, from Latin tingere to dye
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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